ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Bar has cleared Casey Anthony's defense attorney of an unethical behavior complaint.
Private investigator Dominic Casey claimed the Jose Baez told him last year that if he discovered Caylee Anthony's body, the investigator should immediately call Baez, instead of the authorities.
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Caylee Anthony was reported missing in July 2008. Her remains were found in December by a meter reader.
The Florida Bar looked into Casey's complaint, but, after a four-month review, found no probable cause that Baez violated any ethics rules. The bar closed the complaint.
"I believe the Bar did as thorough of an investigation as they could possibly do, and fortunately the truth came out," Baez said.
Baez has always denied that such a conversation ever took place between himself and Casey. He said he has no idea why Casey would make the allegation.
"It's discouraging to hear your name thrown around like mud, especially when you worked so hard," Baez said.
While working for Baez, Casey searched the wooded area off Suburban Drive three times in the month before Caylee's body was found nearby.
Casey told detectives that Baez instructed him not to call 911 if he found a body. Judge Stan Strickland also forwarded the complaint to the bar.
Strickland is presiding over the murder trial against Caylee's mother, Casey Anthony. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in her daughter's death.
"My client has told me she's not guilty, and I'm working hard and doing everything as her legal counsel to put the state to its burden," Baez said.
Baez acknowledged that being the attorney of a high-profile case has made him the target of various allegations, none of which has been proven.
"I know what it's like to be accused of something you haven't done, so what it does is really motivate me to fight harder," Baez said.
Although Baez has been cleared on Casey's complaint, there is still an open bar complaint against the attorney.
The complaint involves Baez's relationship with his former spokesman, a man known as Todd Black, who sent out press releases on Baez's behalf. Black was later discovered to be a convicted felon.
It is not clear when the investigation into that complaint will be complete.